European researchers develop new recycling and energy storage technologies

Researchers in Central Europe are developing new technologies to repurpose industrial and chemical waste into high-value materials.

A team including scientists from the University of Technology in Ostrava and Palacký University Olomouc has created an iron and carbon-based catalyst. This low-temperature technology allows for the efficient recycling of polystyrene into benzonitrile, a valuable compound used in the production of pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and other chemical substances. The process is designed to be more energy-efficient and produce fewer byproducts than traditional methods.

Separately, scientists at Jagiellonian University are working on the ACTI-CON project to develop advanced concrete with enhanced thermal energy storage capabilities. By incorporating additives such as graphite recovered from recycled lithium-ion batteries, bio-based phase change materials like glycerin, and mineral byproducts from mining, the researchers aim to create a building material that can absorb and gradually release heat. This could help stabilize indoor temperatures and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling.